Sorry...forgot...

Super hard water, we have a water softener that is always stocked with salt. :)

Have you tried using some sort of oxygen bleach (OxyWhatever) instead of the liquid chlorine bleach? Something else to consider is how much softener you're using. If it's not rinsing out completely, it will inhibit the ability of your clothes to be permeated with water, and that could keep what detergent you are using from being as effective as possible.

You also could try changing detergents. I've been using Seventh Generation's high-efficiency "no-nothing" detergent and a little borax (and oxy bleach when I remember) in moderately-hard water and can't say that my whites are quickly turning a dingy color. Might be worth a try. I'd be interested to hear what others here have to say.

Have you tried one of the oxygen bleaches on your whites?

I add it to every white load and have sparkling whites. I do a soak load about once a week with oxygen bleach and my son's socks (he constantly wears them outside) and football practice uniform (whose idea was it to get white football uniforms??? Probably a man! :) The whites always look wonderful!

I have a duet too and love it. I use the Sears detergent which doesn't cause any problems with my kids with allergies but theirs don't sound as severe as your daughter's. I don't use fabric softener. Sometimes I will use vinegar. I don't seem to have any problem with static but when I do, I use a 1/4 dryer sheet.

Sorry Steve o...Didn't mean to repeat what you asked! I must've have been typing when you posted.

Keri

Might try adding some Arm & Hammer Washing Soda with the whites plus the Oxy.

Also use a little bluing. I put it in the wash water and I think it helps, but maybe that is just me.

Yup, tried the Oxygen bleaches...I've tried using Clorox 2 F&C with most loads (including whites), and OxyClean F&C for whites. Doesn't help at all.

Amount of fabric softener...about 1/2 of the little fabric softener container on my Duet. So I would think that'd be a small enough amount.

How is Washing Soda for people with allergies?

We have hard water and Borax seems to help best. I would suggest using hotter water on all your whites. I like 7th Generation and Ecover. Ecover also has a non chlorine product that may help. Tide Free and Clear also works well for us, if you are not able to find the more eco products.

The water softener is one of the big units attached to the main water line...so all water coming into the house is already softened. I'm not adding anything to the actual laundry. Should I be?

I really get concerned about doing hot loads because of energy usage. Most of my clothes, we do "colored" and "light" loads, so not really true white loads. If I were to separate lights and whites, it'd add at least 2 loads a week, and thus add to our water and energy usage. But how would the hotter water affect the non-white lights?

If I have to, I have to, it just seems wasteful to add either multiple small loads or unnecessary heat.

hotter water is where the detergent works best for whites. you are using so little water in a FL so the need to boost the heater to get hot water is minimal. It is either increase the temp or start adding chenicals to do it for you - chemicals have a limited affect anyway.

bluing doesnt do anything to clean whites

do the colors in warm or cold water as you prefer - others can advise on their favorite methods

you should also ask the town what your water hardness is. hard water reduces the effectiveness of the detergent

From my experience, my wash has come out much much cleaner and whites are whiter since switching back to an enzyme detergent. The other thing that has made a big difference is to soak clothes to give the enzymes more time to work. I also throw in some dishwasher detergent with enzymes to help boost it a bit on very dirty loads and I'm very satisfied.

I use borax often too and try Oxyclean on whites but I'm not convinced it's doing much. Some people tell me it's great but I'm not impressed. I do better with DW detergent and borax and feel better with the cleaning of it.

Just be sure you're getting enzymes. Most, if not all P&G products have enzymes and Wisk has enzymes. Sears Ultra Plus Stain Fighting Formula has enzymes, I'm told and a few of the Huish products do, for instance Walmart's Great Value brand powder has enzymes. However, the WM GV is scented, not bad, but if your daughter is that sensitive you might not want to take a chance.

One other thought: Could your water be staining your clothes? Maybe you need a filter? Grasping at straws a bit, but you never know until you ask.

BTW, here's hoping your daughter soon grows out of this allergy. It could happen.

A Free and Clear detergent still probably has optical whiteners and other additives which may be clinging to your clothes through multiple washes. Your fabric softener is likely building up on your clothes too. I've read it does if you use it on cloth diapers. Fabric softener sheets also leave a residue inside the dryer that can come off onto clothes/diapers. Not sure if liquid does the same thing. I have found I do not need softener sheets when my clothes rinse clean. The only exception would be for synthetic, static-prone fabrics like acrylic. I use Charlie's Soap (detergent) now for all our laundry, including cloth dipes. For sanitation, I use hot washes for diapers and underclothing as well as towels and washcloths/dishrags. I haven't mastered using an oxygen bleach yet, probably because I have a front-loader so the clothes can't soak as easily. On the other hand, I don't feel I need it often--only ocassionally to remove stains.

HE machines often get detergent build-up inside the machine on the outside of the drum where you can't see it. This can cause mildew, stink, etc. When I had to have our Kenmore's electronics repaired (same as Duet), the repairman said to only use 1 oz. of detergent and applauded my frequent use of vinegar. If you want to see if you have build-up, do an empty load. To see if your clothes have detergent build-up, which might be causing your dingy whites, do a load without detergent. In either case, if you see a good amount of suds, you have build-up. If you do, then do several washes with vinegar, then plain rinses. Check again, and repeat as needed. For prevention, periodically do a hot load with vinegar. Incidentally, I put the vinegar into the liquid softener dispenser, which empties into the last rinse cycle on my HE machine. Don't put it in with the detergent as they neutralize each other.

I've read a lot about washing diapers in HE machines, and most of the info applies to other laundry as well. There are definitely some detergents to avoid. Here are two articles which cover the topic well I think.

http://www.sunshinediapers.com/cloth-diaper-university/choosing-a-detergent/

http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/washing-diapers.htm

For whites to be white, you really need to use hot water. To get whites white w/out any bleach, use the Duet's "Whitest Whites" setting along with an appropriate amount of detergent and you should see a huge improvement.

FWIW, I think I read on GW that detergents w/enzymes won't work well unless they are used in a min. of 60 degree water temp.

I have the same problem as your daughter, I even need to be careful with the free and clear detergents, I can't use Tide at all. I use All Free and Clear HE along with Downy Free and Clear and Clorox 2 Free, and I occasionally use Oxyclean Free as needed. They apparently added fragrance to the original Oxyclean and introduced a Free version. I also use mineral makeup (Purminerals pressed) and have not noticed any problems with my white or light colored shirts, and I have had my washer since March. I do wash some of my whites in warm/cold instead of cold/cold, and once a month I do a load of just socks and undies on hot/cold (I need to save up for a while to make a full load). I never wash my tops in anything but cold though, and they do look clean. I never use chlorine bleach since I am sensitive to that too. Sorry about your daughters sensitivities, hopefully she will grow out of them.

I use ECOS detergent that I get at Costco. The one at Costco does have fragrance but it's a natural fragrance. The "lavender" or "fresh linen" or "overpowering, cloying scent" in most regular detergents are nothing more than chemicals. Natural detergents will use essential oils. If it still isn't an option, you can go to ECOS.com and order online, or at least get a look at their products. I just get the one at Costco because it's a lot cheaper than anything online and after the clothes are washed they don't have a smell (my son would say something about smelling like magnolia and lily!). So far it's the best natural detergent I've found. Also, try putting hydrogen peroxide in the bleach dispenser (provided you don't use bleach, I don't know if mixing the 2 could be dangerous or not). It seems to perk up my whites. I don't think anything will get them bleach-white but I think it's a small trade off for living chemical free.